Uniformizing higher-spin equations

TL;DR

This paper presents a unified algebraic framework for higher-spin theories, simplifying their equations and gauge invariances, and introduces new higher-spin systems including partially-massless and massive fields in AdS space.

Contribution

It provides a uniform representation of higher-spin equations using superalgebras and offers a concise AKSZ formulation, extending to new types of higher-spin systems.

Findings

Unified algebraic representation of higher-spin equations

Introduction of novel higher-spin systems including partially-massless and massive fields

Explicit AKSZ formulation for these theories

Abstract

Vasiliev's higher-spin theories in various dimensions are uniformly represented as a simple system of equations. These equations and their gauge invariances are based on two superalgebras and have a transparent algebraic meaning. For a given higher-spin theory these algebras can be inferred from the vacuum higher-spin symmetries. The proposed system of equations admits a concise AKSZ formulation. We also discuss novel higher-spin systems including partially-massless and massive fields in AdS, as well as conformal and massless off-shell fields.